Gossip Stone: Are Side Quests Still Fun, or Are There Just Too Many Now?

Some of you might be thinking, what’s a Zelda game without any side quests? The idea of abolishing the sometimes tedious yet rewarding side quests is just out of the question, but are there too many? Although most side quests are completely optional, they’re great for anyone looking to explore and extend the content within the game while adding to their own adventure. Though not always necessary, they can be rewarding in a number of ways. Whether you find them satisfying as a good Hylian Samaritan, or decide to see them through for the sake of the reward, the task might not be worth it. Join the discussion after the jump!

While most side quests are intended to enhance and benefit your journey, others are meant for you to explore and learn new things; whether they’re from or about NPCs, or entail a bit of history. However, some side quests don’t have anything new to offer or reveal, leaving some to believe that they are merely just filler or a chance to chance to venture away from your main quest. The real question is that even though there are quite a handful of side quests, are they still fun? Since the vast majority of side quests aren’t absolutely necessary, that doesn’t mean that they can’t be enjoyed. In fact, most side quests involve some sort of task that tend to challenge various skills that aren’t usually performed as they would be in the main quest.

And while other games in the series have more rewarding side quests than others, there’s been a number of complaints that there are simply too many unnecessary tedious side quests that were merely thrown in for the sake of extra content, despite the fact that many of them are optional. Each Zelda game has its own use for side quests whether there are an alternative to help enhance your journey or not. Most notably, Majora’s Mask has perhaps the most famous series of side quests (obtainaing 20 masks) that are completely optional, but significantly contribute towards earning the Fierce Deity mask that could benefit you in the final boss battle. Without even a handful of those masks, the game might not be nearly as entertaining or fulfilling without completing some of those side quests. Another example of an unnecessary but somewhat entertaining side quest comes from Skyward Sword. As some of you may know, the infamous Lumpy Pumpkin was a a result of property damage, in attempt to gain another Piece of Heart. Just to name a few more, there’s the Joy Pendant side quest that ended up with you and a Cabana Deed that only granted you bragging rights and new place to call home. And unlike the figurines you could collect in the Minish Cap for a rewarding heat piece, the figurines collected for the Nintendo Gallery could only have granted mere satisfaction of having acquired a stunning collection of trophies. Understandably, these examples might seem like they’ve attributed to there being too many side quests that can be accomplished in the Zelda universe.

Though they can be rightfully justified as they are optional and add to the adventure Personally, I think side quests are always fun and that there can never too many. They give me a goal to work towards and help grant the “100%-ing ” a game. What do you think of the side quests in from the Zelda series? Have you found anything unique about them that you find fun? Or do you think there are too many and are absolutely unnecessary? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!